For the issue of travelling to Downtown, consider how the city’s numbered streets are laid out. When someone first comes to the Tuscaloosa area, they will have no clue what the “streets” are, versus what the “avenues” are when in comes to the numbered streets. For example, 15th Street is not seven blocks from 22nd Avenue. Once it is learned, yes, it makes sense. However there is a huge learning curve that exists in the community on navigating the Streets and Avenues. The short version is that Streets run east/west, and Avenues run north/south.

Last edited by the makers market on Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

But now ,.. to your topic. In the past it was most always street numbers in the downtown area and even out to neighborhoods. And yes, if you were at one address and needed to go to another, you would instantly know it was 3 streets away and 6 avenues away, for example.

But then along came folks wanting to name roads after someone to honor them, and it all went to pot.

The final straw was 911 and the renaming of all streets. I'm not sure of the reasoning, but somehow the system prefers names over numbers. Maybe its the confusion of people saying 7th street when in reality they are on 7th avenue (???)

I came to Tuscaloosa from big cities about 30+ years ago. When I first opened my business I used the address. That what we big city folks did. Even thought it was on a major business street, NO ONE (except UPS) knew or used the address. I quickly learned that people in Tuscaloosa navigate by landmarks. So I would guess the age on the phone. The young ones, I referenced a nearby well known bar. Older folks, i used the name of a long time furniture store in my strip center.

the makers market wrote:As Downtown Tuscaloosa continues to improve in the variety of activities offered, retail shopping seems to lag behind the big business of food and drink. There are several shops in Downtown Tuscaloosa that offer unique shopping experiences versus the bland, utilitarian shopping of the big box stores. Those big box stores are very important, as they provide the basic living needs of society in general, but a visit to a unique shop or store can provide enjoyment far beyond the big box.

The issue at hand with shopping in Downtown Tuscaloosa, is to educate the community that Downtown is indeed a place that has retail shopping. Another goal should be to educate the community that travelling to Downtown is not to be “avoided”. There is a perception in the community that Downtown may be too far away, or hard to navigate.

For the issue of travelling to Downtown, consider how the city’s numbered streets are laid out. When someone first comes to the Tuscaloosa area, they will have no clue what the “streets” are, versus what the “avenues” are when in comes to the numbered streets. For example, 15th Street is not seven blocks from 22nd Avenue. Once it is learned, yes, it makes sense. However there is a huge learning curve that exists in the community on navigating the Streets and Avenues. The short version is that Streets run east/west, and Avenues run north/south.

To overcome this issue with navigating the numbered streets, the community needs to be taught that University is really 5th Street, and Paul Bryant is really 10th St. Since 15th is already 15th, it provides the reference point for the other Streets.

Avenues are another issue. 4th (Street) and 23rd (Avenue) is known as Temerson Square, and is perhaps the most common reference point in navigating Downtown Tuscaloosa. It is no coincidence that this is also the main concentration of bars and restaurants in the Downtown area. If an Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa continued north without ending, it would have to end at the river. 21st Avenue ends at the river, 22nd Avenue does not. 22nd Avenue ends at 4th Street, just like 23rd Avenue does. Greensboro Avenue carries all the way to the river, so what is done with it?

Greensboro Avenue could be called 24th Avenue. Greensboro provides a stopping point on the west side of the Downtown area. If the numbering did continue to 24th, the logic of navigating Downtown would be tremendously improved.

So, I presume you weren't around when University Boulevard was called Broad Street?

A lot of avenues don't end at the river because there is a big bluff there. Remember, the original city was laid out around its incorporation in 1819.

Any time I go to a new city that has to be personally navigated, I get a map. They are sold at book shops and grocery store magazine sections.

“See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”― George W. Bush

bamapilot wrote:But now ,.. to your topic. In the past it was most always street numbers in the downtown area and even out to neighborhoods. And yes, if you were at one address and needed to go to another, you would instantly know it was 3 streets away and 6 avenues away, for example.

But then along came folks wanting to name roads after someone to honor them, and it all went to pot.

The final straw was 911 and the renaming of all streets. I'm not sure of the reasoning, but somehow the system prefers names over numbers. Maybe its the confusion of people saying 7th street when in reality they are on 7th avenue (???)

Anyway ... names are here to stay. Don't expect it to go back now.

So welcome to the forum. Next topic ......?

Another confusing practice is forgetting to add "East" to an address. When I was delivering furniture, I frequently was attempting to deliver in West End when I should have been in Alberta.

“See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”― George W. Bush